Road tested by Hugh Maguire.
The new IONIQ 9 is a full seven seat electric SUV that aims to bring Hyundai into the premium SUV segment.
For decades the premium German brands were considered the benchmark when it came to quality and luxury and in the minds of many they remain so despite some models produced by BMW, Audi and Mercedes that seemed as if quality had been reduced to save cost.
Other brands such as Lexus from Japan and of course Kia a sister company of Hyundai have also attempted to carve out a slice of the premium car market for themselves. It is here that margins are highest and so gaining access to this segment of the market brings better profits.
More recently heretofore unknown brands from China have arrived on our shores and they have managed to produce cars that seem to offer a blend of quality and at a price point thats appealing to buyers. So a new Hyundai costing almost €80,000 will have to work hard to cut it out as a premium SUV.
The new IONIQ 9 is offered here in Ireland in one specification level called Platinum and powered by a big 110kW/h battery with a promised WLTP claimed range of 620 km.
So how does it look?
The first thing you will notice is the seer size of it. Weighing in at almost 2.7 tonnes and measuring over 5 metres in length and almost 2 metres wide (1980mm to be precise) while standing 1.8 metres tall its gigantic.
You certainly feel aware of its size and bulk when hustling along narrow country roads or while negotiating the tight confines of town and city traffic.
Its best view is from side on. The front has lots of transparent plastic which on my test car had a lot of condensation built up and visible behind it. Clever styling around the wheel arches help disguise some of its bulk and judicious use of chrome detailing around the rear side windows and on the roof rails help give an air of class. Overall then I would describe it as big, bold and brash rather than hugely attractive.
What is it like inside?
The first impression is of a vast but very well executed cabin. With light colours throughout, a huge panoramic glass roof and a prevailing air of quality it is a very welcoming place in which to travel. The configurable digital drivers display which merges perfectly into the centre screen creating one curved panel is excellent. I like the ease of configurability allowing the driver to have the drivers cluster in analogue style round dials which looks so much better than the cheap looking digital displays of many rivals. Below the central part of the touchscreen are a row of “real” buttons for the major functions and below those a row of crystal clear haptic touch “buttons”.
The result is that the driver rarely has to actually prod at the touchscreen for what you need most. Well done Hyundai, one of the nicest dashboards of any out there right now!
The IONIQ 9 is superbly equipped and safe to say driver and passengers are truly pampered. There is mood lighting and lots of storage space including a cleverly hinged front centre armrest box which can be opened from the front or rear allowing rear seat passengers to easily access it for storage. Its also chilled. A handy perfectly placed wireless charge pad with a rubber grip which prevents your phone from sliding about while its charging is also standard.
In the rear there is a digital panel for climate control between the two front seats and lots of USB-C ports both front and rear.
Each rear row of seats is configurable in multiple ways creating either a full 7-seater (with a decent load area remaining) or a four seater with a massive load area or indeed a 2 seater with a cavernous load area with all seats folding completely flat to allow maximum capacity. All this configurability is via simple buttons which activate the seats to drop flat.
In terms of versatility it scores highly then, perfect for a family, ideal for the school run with 7 seats.
Overall then the cabin of the IONIQ 9 does feel premium if maybe not quite as good as say a Mercedes for example. But its darn close!
What is under the bonnet?
A small frunk actually. However powering this big car is a 110kWh battery and electric motor driving the rear wheels.
I picked up the test car with a 95% charge displayed and a predicted range of 585 km.
Claimed range is 620km from 100% but during testing over a variety of rural, urban and motorway I achieved 390km before I needed to recharge and at that point the battery had 17% remaining and a range of 70 km. So in real world driving expect about 420km range between charges. Quite a way off from 585km!
Performance is good rather than the usual neck snapping acceleration we have come to expect from EV’s.
So how does it drive?
Whether driving it or as a passenger the overall impression is one of sheer refinement. Aside from a whisker of wind noise at motorway speeds this IONIQ 9 is truly quiet on the road. Our dB rating as tested of 59dB is excellent. To compare most luxury cars achieve around 65 to 68dB with many others around the 72dB mark so the IONIQ 9 scores highly here.
It is supremely comfortable too and the commanding driving position is just about perfect.
Around town yes its big and you really notice that when trying to park in tight supermarket parking bays where its bulk is evident. Nevertheless a host of sensors and cameras help the driver place the car well in the space available.
Out on the open road it handles pretty well and rides the bumps with aplomb. In short while not a dynamic drive it certainly delivers for overall comfort and refinement.
Hugh’s Verdict.
So does the IONIQ 9 cut it as a premium SUV? I think does!
At €78,495 its Hyundai’s most expensive model and residual values may be a concern as historically these large luxury vehicles particularly as EV’s have taken a hit. Nevertheless the IONIQ 9 has all the ingredients to allow it carve out a niche for itself in the premium electric SUV segment.
It is also a deserving winner of 7 Seat SUV of the year at the Irish Car Of The Year awards as voted upon by myself and my colleagues in the Motoring Media Association of Ireland (MMAI).